a large motor vehicle, having a long body, equipped with seats or benches for passengers, usually operating as part of a scheduled service; omnibus.
(formerly) a similar horse-drawn vehicle.
a passenger automobile or airplane used in a manner resembling that of a bus.
any vehicle operated to transport children to school.
a low, movable filing cabinet.
Also called busbar. Also called bus bar,. Electricity. a heavy conductor, often made of copper in the shape of a bar, used to collect, carry, and distribute powerful electric currents, as those produced by generators.
Computers. a circuit that connects the CPU with other devices in a computer.
to convey or transport by bus.
to bus the tourists to another hotel.
to transport (pupils) to school by bus, especially as a means of achieving socioeconomic or racial diversity among students in a public school.
Sometimes called: motorbus. More formal name: omnibus. a large motor vehicle designed to carry passengers between stopping places along a regular route
short for trolleybus
(modifier) of or relating to a bus or buses
a bus driver
a bus station
informal a car or aircraft, esp one that is old and shaky
electronics computing short for busbar
the part of a MIRV missile payload containing the re-entry vehicles and guidance and thrust devices
astronautics a platform in a space vehicle used for various experiments and processes
to miss an opportunity; be too late
to travel or transport by bus
to transport (children) by bus from one area to a school in another in order to create racially integrated classes
First recorded in 1825–35; short for omnibus; bus 1 def. 6 short for omnibus bar
First recorded in 1830–40; back formation from busboy
A bus is a long vehicle with many seats. An elementary school student might save a seat on the school bus each morning for her best friend. A city bus carries far more passengers than a private car, which makes it an efficient form of transportation. When bus is used as a verb, it means to transport by bus, sometimes in an effort to desegregate a school district: "The city will bus students from this neighborhood to the other side of town." It also means "to clear a table" in restaurant lingo, which is often done by a "bus boy" or a "busser."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sparrows in New Zealand flap their wings near automatic-door sensors at bus stations, then sweep inside to feast.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Targeted positions include gardeners, bus supervisors and other transportation workers.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Rachel Reeves announced a cut in VAT at some attractions, also including zoos and museums, over the summer, and a free bus scheme for under-16s in England in August.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Full-price bus tickets from Grand Central Terminal or the Port Authority bus terminal in New York to MetLife Stadium were recently reduced to $20 from $80 after fan outcry over the inflated prices.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
“My uncle’s coming in four days,” Jeff said on the bus first thing Tuesday morning.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
